The Heart of Raphael
by StitcherBell
Summary: This is a short based from Soul Skin Deep A Green Ever After by Brandacelynn. Raph reflects on the changes in his life since meeting Brandace. Find out what lies at the heart of Raphael. Just what makes his life complete. My first contribution to FF. Please be gentle!


I do not own TMNT…sniffle….

The character Brandace belongs to Brandacelynn who is the Author of Soul Skin Deep A Green Ever After

Brandalynn Rose Hamato is the only character I own in this creation. And no, unfortunately, I do not get paid to write for TMNT!

I wrote this short story for a contest within Soul Skin Deep A Green Ever After. The challenge was issued by KellyEliz, who is the co-author of the story. Surprisingly, to me, I won the contest. Thank you to all who stop by to peruse my humble offerings of manipulation of the English language, that being my first ever contribution to FF! Enjoy! Oh, and feel free to leave comments, reviews, constructive criticism, etc.

I am not writing out the lyrics, but the song in my mind for this is I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith

The Heart of Raphael

By: StitcherBell

Raph sat in a chair beside the bed watching Brandace sleep. It had been a long day. A really, really long day. He held one of her hands in both of his pressed to his lips. For someone so small, she sure was tough. But her hand looked like a child's compared to his huge hands. As he watched her, he couldn't help but wonder if she ever had doubts or regrets about choosing to stay with him. He knew she loved him. But he also knew what she had given up by choosing to stay with him. She walked away from her home and her family, yes. But she also turned her back on the human world. Her world consisted of five other humans, four mutant turtles and a mutant rat. All for the love a gigantic, green, mutated turtle that would give the incredible hulk a run for his money on size and temper. And what did he have to offer her, what could he possibly give her? Nothing. He had nothing to offer her but his heart. He couldn't take her out in public, couldn't get a job to earn money to buy her nice things, hell he couldn't even take her to a proper hospital. But love her he did, with every fiber in his being he loved her and hoped to God that it was enough for her. He would watch her sometimes and wonder if it was enough, if she ever wished she had walked away and then she would turn those gorgeous green eyes on him and give him that classic Brandace smirk and, yeah. Just like that, even after being together for seven years, his knees would turn to jelly and his heart would try to pound out of his chest. She was his one and only love, his best friend, his reason for breathing, his heart. She had given him so much more than he could have ever dreamed of. He knew most people would look at him and see a freak, a monster. But somehow this woman loved him more than he could ever possibly hope to deserve. She calmed his raging temper with just a touch and soothed his soul every time she whispered his name. Raph just could not imagine life without her.

Sighing, Raph stood and walked across the room. He bent down and picked up the blanket bundle and went back to sit vigil at her side. At a small stirring, Raph looked down and watched her green eyes flutter open. He pulled off his red bandana and laid it in her outstretched hand. Upon hearing her tiny gasp, he reached out and ran his large finger down her soft cheek. A lone tear streaked down his cheek. He cleared his throat in hopes of being able to speak without choking. Raph smiled and whispered _Hey Princess. I'm your Daddy and I promise ya dis. I'm gonna do everything I can to keep ya safe. You're my heart Brandalynn Rose Hamato. You and ya mama. I love ya Princess with all my heart._ __As Raph leaned down and kissed her little head, more tears slipped down his maskless face. He felt a small hand wipe at his tears and he leaned into her hand. Brandace traced the tears down his cheeks, wiping them away and then running her thumb across the scar on his lip. God, she loved him. _Hey, Big Guy. You're not going soft on me are you?_ Raph gave a hoarse chuckle. _Only for my girls_ he growled as he softly kissed her lips. As he watched them both drift off to sleep, he thought to himself _Yeah, dis here, dis is my heart. Don't know what a turtle like me with anger issues eva did to deserve this life, but I'm glad it's mine._ He gently crawled in the bed beside Brandace, laying his daughter on his plastron and fell asleep stroking her tiny shell. He chuckled again to himself and thought _Guess her world consisted of five turtles now, instead of four._ A genuine smile stretched across his face. Life couldn't get much better than this.


End file.
